Robotic fish to aid in detecting sea pollution

When it comes to checking the level of pollution in our seas taking water samples from ships and on the shore can only show us so much. To better understand pollution within our water systems researchers are turning to robotic fish.

The fish have been developed by the UK company BMT Group Limited in conjunction with researchers at the University of Essex. They are totally independent robots able to navigate waterways without assistance and programmed to return to underwater recharging hubs when their batteries are low.

As you can see from the image above they are made to look like a real fish and even move like them. Their bodies contain a number of chemical sensors that pick up different types of pollution and then transmit that information via Wi-Fi to a base station for review.

Rory Doyle, senior research scientist at BMT explains:

While using shoals of robotic fish for pollution detection in harbours might appear like something straight out of science fiction, there are very practical reasons for choosing this form … In using robotic fish we are building on a design created by hundreds of millions of years’ worth of evolution which is incredibly energy efficient. This efficiency is something we need to ensure that our pollution detection sensors can navigate in the underwater environment for hours on end.

The fish will get their first deployment in Spain when five are released at the port of Gijon for a three year project. Each robot costs $29,000 to make and will be hard to miss in the water as they are 1.5 meters in length.

Matthew’s Opinion
It makes sense that if you want to navigate an underwater environment then you mimic the creatures that already live their quite happily. It does look a little surreal seeing a giant fish swimming around in that YouTube video, however.{ad}

The researchers have high hopes for these fish and this initial trial in Spain is just the start. They expect to start deploying these fish into rivers and lakes. There may also be a big market for the energy companies to use them to monitor underwater pipes for leaks – a potentially very expensive problem if not detected early.

One problem the researchers may not have found a solution for is the potential for these fish to be attacked. A fish the size of a seal may look very tempting to a shark and a powerful bite may leave that shark confused, but what would it do to the robotic fish?

Speak Your Mind

hodar

I guess I’m a bit of a skeptic. $29K for a ~4-5 ft mechanical fish that is brightly colored. This ‘fish’ takes water samples, so does a 25 cent milk carton. This fish can ‘patrol’ a section of pipe lines, so can a series of low cost water monitoring stations.

So, let’s do some analysis, shall we? Algae loves to grow on stuff underwater, how does the fish clean itself so it doesn’t become ‘clogged’, immobilized and sink somewhere? If it moves, it wears out – so how much does a electronic and mechanical technician add to the budger? Water currents make docking a boat difficult, so how reliable is the re-charge process in adverse currents? How far will it range? Will it be smart enough to monitor the charge so it always has enough power to return to base? How secure is the base? Seems to me that the base would be an ideal place for a thief to hang out and collect $29K for a few minutes work.

The brightly colored fish is going to be a target to any kid with a BB gun, spear gun, net or bare hands. Being mechanical, they are going to be a ‘trophy fish’ to every person who sees one.

So, how is this cheaper than hiring some Game, Fish and Wildlife Service employees at $25K /yr each? This just seems like a $100,000 answer to a $50 question.

harry fingers

But hey, look at it this way, once we’ve completely anihilated all the natural species on the planet we’ll still be able to see the extinct species relpicated in the wild, people/taxes will pay for the upkeep just to catch a glimpse!